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Timmins-area COVID-19 fatality rate still highest in Northern Ontario: report

84.6 per cent of the local cases are resolved
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TIMMINS — While it's been more than two weeks since there's been a positive test for COVID-19 in the Timmins area, the region still has the highest rate of infection and fatality rate compared to other areas in the north.

The number of tests being done in the region is higher than the provincial rate, according to the Porcupine Health Unit's weekly epidemiology report comparing local COVID-19 data to provincial statistics, as well as other health units in Northern Ontario.

This week's report is based on information at the end of day May 22. 

At that time, in the Porcupine Health Unit region there had been 65 confirmed cases. Of those, 55 were resolved and six people had died. They had completed 4,478 tests.

The case fatality rate at the time was 9.2 per cent, which is higher than the provincial 8.2 per cent. A seventh virus-related death has been reported in Timmins since the data for the report was pulled.

The  PHU also has a higher percentage of resolved cases than the province, with 84.6 per cent being resolved compared to 76.2 per cent provincially. 

According to the the PHU report, the numbers across the north as of May 22 were:

  • Algoma Public Health - 20 confirmed cases, which is an increase of three from the last report, and no deaths. The tests per 100,000 population are 5,318, with 0.3 per cent being positive.

  • North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit - 25 confirmed cases, which is an increase of four from the last report, and one death. The case fatality rate is 4 per cent. The tests per 100,000 are 4,154.5, 0.4 per cent being positive.

  • Northwestern Health Unit - 21 confirmed cases, which is an increase of four from the last report, and no deaths. The tests per 100,000 are 4,154.5, with 0.8 per cent being positive.

  • Porcupine Health Unit - 65 positive, which is the same as the last report. There had been six deaths, making the fatality rate 9.2 per cent. The tests per 100,000 population are 5,361.9, with 1.5 per cent being positive.

  • Public Health Sudbury and Districts - 64 confirmed cases, which is the same as the last report. There have been two deaths, with the fatality rate being 3.1 per cent. The tests per 100,000 population is 5,102.8, with 0.7 per cent being positive.

  • Thunder Bay District Health Unit, 81 confirmed cases, which is an increase of two from the last report. One person has died, making the fatality rate 1.2 per cent. The tests per 100,000 population are 5,636.4, with 1 per cent being positive.

  • Timiskaming Health Unit, 18 confirmed cases and no deaths. The testing per 100,000 population is 5,591.4, with 1 per cent being positive.

For all of Northern Ontario, when the report was completed there were 294 confirmed cases, which is 13 more than the May 18 report. There have been 10 deaths, with the fatality rate being 3.4 per cent. The testing per 100,000 population is 5,060.8, with 0.8 per cent being positive.

The full report is available here.


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Maija Hoggett

About the Author: Maija Hoggett

Maija Hoggett is an experienced journalist who covers Timmins and area
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